so varied and beautiful
they taste with their feet
and their feet pollenate our gardens
a group is a flutter
their eyes have 6000 lens
sensitive to ultraviolet
wings are clear and move
in a figure 8 pattern—color is
a reflection from the scale covering
they vary in size from half to 12 inches
metamorphosis from caterpillar to
butterfly takes 10-15 days
(caterpillars are not all tractors)
eat through a hollow tongue—proboscis
Monarchs migrate over 2000 miles;
Painted Ladies much more as both species
help to pollenate the world
– Herbert T. Aberson
Herbert T. Aberson is a retired academic physician, husband, father, and grandfather who writes prose and poetry about a grand career and life.